Lakeland Elementary nominated for national honor

Lakeland Elementary School (LES) is in the running for a national honor. On Feb. 9, Superintendent Dr. Ted Horrell announced that LES is one of six Tennessee schools nominated for the National Blue Ribbon School designation.

LES was nominated as an “Exemplary High Performing School.” indicating that its scores were at least in the top 15 percent in the state. It also means that students from disadvantaged backgrounds had testing results similar to results for all students tested.

LES Principal Joretha Lockhart said, “It is such an honor to be nominated for an award that recognizes the hard work and accomplishments of our teachers, staff, and students. We look forward to completing our application and highlighting the many wonderful aspects of our school.”

Education leaders in each state nominate schools based on Department of Education criteria.

The top 15 percent ranking is based on student performance in state assessments in reading/English language arts and math, or a composite index that includes these results and may include other performance measures.

For each of the school’s subgroups, the school must be in the top 40 percent of all schools in the state when schools are ranked on the performance of all students in the subgroup who participated in the previously mentioned testing or is based on a composite index.

Last year, LES student scores in TNReady testing (the state’s achievement testing) were among the top 1 percent of elementary schools in math, reading and science, Horrell said.

The next step for LES will be to complete an application. Schools chosen for the honor will receive notification in September, followed by a Washington, D.C., ceremony in November.

School board chair Kevin Floyd said, “This is truly a great honor for Lakeland Elementary and illustrates a commitment to excellence from our students, administration, faculty, and staff.”